The field of this invention in general is powered amusement rides for children and, more specifically, an amusement ride which may easily be configured to give access to wheelchairs so that physically handicapped people may enjoy the ride while also allowing for able bodied individuals to similarly enjoy the ride.
Amusement or kiddie rides have become increasingly popular and are commonly used outside of grocery stores, department stores, amusement parks and restaurants for the enjoyment of small children and parents watching and assisting their children in using the rides. Typical kiddie rides consist of a horse, a rocket, a car or other similar device mounted to a solid non-moving base. The user inserts a coin to allow the ride to move generally in a back and forth or rocking type motion for a given amount of time. These rides have long been known and used by small children over the years. However, most of these rides, as they are sit on such as horses, rockets or small climb-in type of rides such as cars, are not accessible to handicapped children and especially handicapped children bound to wheelchairs.
Recently it has been known to modify large moving amusement park rides to allow for wheelchair access. One type of ride is shown by the Volz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,528 patent assigned to Universal City Studio, Inc. This patent generally discloses a ride where the seats for able bodied users fold out of the way through a complex mechanism allowing a wheelchair to be wheeled into place and locked down to the ride. However, this does not solve the problem of making small generally base mounted kiddie rides such as those used at department stores and grocery stores accessible to individuals in wheelchairs.
From this discussion, it can be seen that it would be desirable to make a small base mounted type ride as are commonly used outside of grocery stores and department stores accessible to wheelchair bound individuals while also allowing the ride to be used by able bodied individuals, thus increasing the number of people that may use the ride while allowing wheelchair bound children access to rides and experiences previously limited to able bodies children.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a means by which handicapped individuals who are bound to wheelchairs, especially children, can gain access to the rocker type amusement rides that are commonly found in amusement parks and around the entrances of department stores and other high traffic public areas.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide such a means of allowing access to such amusement rides that will not requirewheelchair bound individuals to leave their wheelchair in order to enjoy the entertainment provided by such amusement rides.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a means of allowing access to such amusement rides to handicapped individuals that will enable them to position their wheelchair within the interior of the ride without the aid of others.
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide such a means of allowing access to these amusement rides to wheelchair bound individuals in a manner that will also enable non-handicapped individuals to enjoy the ride when it is not otherwise engaged.
These objectives are accomplished by the use of a rocker type amusement ride that is built in such a manner as to allow for the placement of a wheelchair within its body. With this in mind, the present invention is generally fashioned in the shape of a fire truck, or other relatively large bodied vehicle such as automobiles, stage coaches, boats, or trucks, and which contains a centrally located cavity large enough to accept a wheelchair and its occupant. This configuration allows a person that is confined to a wheelchair that can normally not enjoy the entertainment offered by these types of amusement rides to easily enter the present invention and operate the device from the confines of their wheelchair.
The entrance to the invention by the wheelchair occupant is accomplished through a drop gate located at the rear of the body of the invention. The drop gate is pivotally attached to the body of the invention on either side of its lower surface which allows it to be swung in a downward manner when the upper latch is released. In this downward position, the drop gate effectively forms an access ramp which allows for wheelchair access into the interior of the present invention. Additionally, the drop gate is also equipped with a plurality of. shock absorbers which limit the speed at which the end gate will open eliminating the danger that may be associated with the gate striking a person in the opening process.
Additionally, the interior of the invention is equipped with a moveable seat which in its rearward position provides a seat for able-bodied users that positions them in front of the mock steering wheel or console. For use by disabled patrons, the moveable seat can be slid forward on a system of wheels and rails into the forward cavity of the invention""s body where it is out of the way and allows a wheelchair occupant access to the forward portion of the body cavity where they can manipulate the steering wheel and obtain the full entertainment value of the operation of the present invention. The rails and moveable seat wheels in this configuration are also positioned behind inner side panels which ensure that an individual using the invention is not exposed to the moving parts contained in these areas and is therefore, isolated from the potential risk of injury that normally accompanies similar moving components.
The general operations of the present invention are controlled through the power supply positioned in the interior of the body and which can be activated and controlled through a coin operated or keyed mechanism and which controls two interconnected electrical circuits. The first of these operates the electric motor and rocking system which is located in the forward cavity of the body of the invention. The activation of this circuit starts the electric motor turning which rotates a pair of cams. These cams are connected to rods which are in turn connected to the base of the invention. The rotation of the cams causes the forward portion of the invention to raise and lower in relation to the base which, due to the pivotal nature of the body""s attachment to the base, causes the entire body to rock in an gentle up and down manner.
The second circuit controlled by the power supply is a series of positional switches and solenoids which are in turn connected to the solenoid control switch. This system both monitors the position of the moveable seat and end gate and controls the position of the moveable seat through the wheel solenoid. The monitoring function works to ensure that both the end gate and moveable seat are in the proper position before the electric motor can be engaged. That is to say, if the end gate is not in the upright and locked position, the electric motor is prevented from operation by the power supply. Similarly, if the moveable seat is not either fully forward for use with wheelchair bound individuals or fully rearward for use with able-bodied individuals, the electric motor is also prevented from operating by this circuit.
The positional function of this circuit is operated through the wheel solenoid which operates in normal circumstances to lock the moveable seat into the full rearward position. This function is performed by the solenoid""s protrusion into the track area just in front of the front wheel of the moveable seat. Due to the fact that the rail is slanted from a high point at its rear a low point at its front, this positioning of the solenoid holds the moveable seat in a rearward position when it is fully extended. Conversely, when the solenoid is retracted, the moveable seat is allowed to roll forward to its stored position in the forward cavity of the invention""s body, allowing a wheelchair bound individual access to the ride.
An additional embodiment of the moveable seat wheel track is also provided which positions the solenoid in front of the rear seat wheel instead of in front of the front wheel. This positioning of the solenoid simplifies the operations and manufacture of the invention which will be more fully explained below. In terms of the operation of the moveable seat, the change of location of the solenoid does not alter the manner in which the seat is moved from its rearward to its forward positions or from its forward to its rearward positions.
Therefore, when a wheelchair bound individual approaches the invention the moveable seat is held in its rearward position and the end gate is up and closed. In this position, the invention is capable of operation by an able-bodied individual as the rearward wheel switch is properly activated by the position of the moveable seat and the gate switch is properly activated by the position of the end gate. The wheelchair bound individual converts the invention to wheelchair accessible by first opening the rear gate and then depressing the solenoid control switch which retracts the solenoid plunger and releases the moveable seat which then rolls forward into the forward cavity of the invention""s body. In this position, the forward wheel of the moveable seat activates the forward wheel switch and the wheelchair bound individual can then position the wheelchair within the body cavity. The end gate is then closed which activates the gate switch and allows for the activation of the electric motor and provides the rocking motion desired by the wheelchair bound individual.
Additionally, the end gate assembly also contains a warning beeper that is connected through the end gate position sensor and which is activated at all times when the end gate is in the open position. This safety feature functions much like the backup warning bells connected to most large trucks which are engaged when the vehicle is in reverse and warn people in the vicinity of the rearward motion of the truck. In the case of the present invention, the warning buzzer alerts nearby people of an open gate limiting the chances that they may trip over it and injure themselves.
Finally, the present invention is also equipped with a safety feature which ensures no one can be injured by having a body part pinched between the invention""s body and its base during the rocking process. This component consists of a flexible skirt which spans the gap between the lowest most edge of the body and the base around the entirety of the invention. The use of the skirt ensures that nothing can be placed between the body and the base which ensures that no human appendages can be injured during the invention""s operation.
For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be made to the drawings and the description in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.